The Celestial Dragon
by TheRealCacto
Summary: Tartaros has been defeated leaving Fairy Tail victorious. However, something happened that caused Natsu's unbreakable will to break. Will he be able to save Lucy and himself? First Draft of story. NaLu for now...
1. The Light Dims

**Hey wassup it's everybody's favorite cactus coming at yah with a brand-new fanfiction. Just a forewarning this has not been beta-read and I have decided not to continue this in the near future if I don't get any support. Anyways I hope yah like it :D.**

She had to find him before he finished Zeref.

It was the only way…

Natsu said so himself.

She had to find him.

She clutched the broken key tighter to her chest.

' _Aquarius'_

 __ _ **Flashback**_

"Luce"

Lucy looked up, _'Oh look its Natsu…'_ An idle thought passed through her mind, or rather what was left of it. She looked back down towards the ground.

"Luce, yah got to get up." Silence. That was what greeted Natsu. He took a closer look. Lucy was on her knees, head down, hands cupped to her chest. He noticed something inside her hands, something shiny, something golden…

"Hey Luce whatcha got there?" More silence. Natsu became worried. "Luce are you okay? What's wrong?" Nothing. No response, no reaction, nothing. "Don't worry I'll get you to Wendy and then you'll be fine!" He gave her the wide smile he was so well known for. When Lucy didn't respond again Natsu decided to take matters into his own hands. He reached for one of her hands and turned to drag her to Wendy and the rest of the guild. As he turned something caught his eye. The something golden. In his haste to get Lucy help he had forgotten about it. He turned back just in time to see it hit the ground. Natsu was horrified.

"No…" "No, no, no, no, no, no, NO!" Natsu couldn't accept it, there was no way, there couldn't be. He started shaking uncontrollably. How could it have happened? He couldn't understand, there was no way Luce would have let it happen, he knew that. Yet, there it was, on the ground, the golden key of Aquarius, broken in two.

Lucy looked up at him, her eyes were dead, she looked broken. She had been crying, the tear marks stained her cheeks. Natsu recoiled.

"How?" He asked again. Lucy continued staring at him blankly. His Lucy. His partner. His Nakama. HIS. She was his everything and all she could do was stare at him with those dead eyes and expressionless face. It hurt. It hurt bad. Natsu was crying now.

"Come on Lucy, Luce, snap out of it, we won, we beat Tartaros! We..." He couldn't handle it anymore, he fell to his knees and embraced her, sobbing into her hair as he pulled her against his chest. He whispered her name over and over.

"Na-tsu?" A soft, childlike voice sounded from against his chest.

"Luce? Luce? Lucy I'm so sorry I'm so so sorry!" The apologies wouldn't stop coming, an endless flow escaped the dragon slayer's mouth, "I'm sorry Lucy, I swear I- "

"Na-tsu?" There it was again the small, fragile voice that sounded so confused. He pulled away holding her at arm's length and looked into her eyes.

"No." The denial came again, as Natsu stared into Lucy's still lifeless eyes as she repeated his name. The light of Natsu's life was broken, and with that, the light of Fairy Tail broke too.

 _Line Break_

"- cy! Natsu! Lucy! Natsu! Where are you guys at?" Gray Fullbuster walked through the destroyed Tartaros guild hall searching for two of his teammates who had not returned to join up with the rest of the guild despite the battle having ended hours ago. He climbed a particularly tall pile of rubble hoping to get a better view of the surrounding area. He reached the top and looked around. Out of the corner of his eye he caught a glimpse of pink. Turning to face where he had seen it, he saw clearly now the familiar mop of pink hair and right next to it a familiar blonde one. After discovering them he quickly made his way over.

"Hey you guys what's the big deal we've all been worried sick abo-" The Ice make mage stopped, too shocked to continue talking. There in front of him were two of his closest friends locked in a tight embrace, crying. Natsu Dragneel was crying. Now Gray was really worried.

"Hey, you guys, what's wrong?" He started out softer this time. The ice-make mage soon found himself as his rival formally did, greeted repeatedly without response. He got closer and heard Natsu muttering something under his breath.

"What'd you say flame-brain?" Gray still couldn't quite hear the fire mage and leaned in seeing Natsu wasn't going to make it easier for him to hear. As he got closer he could tell Natsu was just repeating the same thing over and over.

"I'm sorry."

Gray's eyes widened he turned his head slowly to look directly at Natsu. "What did you just sa-" He fell backwards in horror. Natsu Dragneel, possessor of the unbreakable will and untamable spirit. Natsu Dragneel son of the Igneel the fire dragon king. Natsu Dragneel of Fairy Tail, he was broken. Gray could tell. He looked again hoping beyond all hope that he saw wrong, that the battle had fatigued him to the point of hallucination, anything at all, just so he wouldn't see those eyes when he looked again. No such luck befell him.

He turned his head, Lucy was in the same state. Gray grit his teeth, there was nothing he could do right now, like this, in his condition. So he did the only thing he could think of;

" _ **ICE-MAKE FIREWORK!"**_

' _Please… Natsu, Lucy, please snap out of it. Please…'_ He looked down at the fallen mages, tears threatened to come, he held them back. _'I have to be strong, for them.'_

Soon a hand found it's way to Gray's shoulder, he turned. "Erza…"

"I know" The knight's face also a hardened frown. She pulled Gray into a hug, her voice softened. "I know"

 _Linebreak_

It had been a day. A day since the defeat of Tartaros, a day since the breaking of Aquarius's key, a day since the breaking of two of Fairy Tail's best mages.

Gray stood outside the makeshift infirmary waiting for Wendy and the Master to come out so he could get an update on Natsu and Lucy's condition. The sound of clanking armor came up next to him. Gray turned to see who it was.

"Hey Erza." He greeted the red-head with a nod.

"How are they doing?" Erza's voice was all business but her eyes were filled with concern.

"I don't know yet, I'm waiting to find out." Erza merely nodded her head in response. Inside she was screaming at Gray, screaming for him to tell her what was wrong with them, screaming at him to fix them or at least tell her how she could. She didn't though. She knew he didn't know, she just wanted to take her anger out on something.

Finally the curtain opened and out stepped Makarov Dreyar, the master of Fairy Tail.

"How are they Master?" Instantly Gray and Erza were upon him. Makarov sighed.

"Physically? They are mostly fine, only a few small scratches and bruises, nothing to serious. However, the state they are in mentally is another matter altogether. They are broken and in pain, but… Wendy believes they will recover." As soon he was done answering the first question, another was put before him.

"Master what happened to cause them to get like this?" A now semi-relieved Erza asked.

"Well from what I can tell Lucy broke after Aquarius's key broke."

"How did it-" Gray interrupted him with the start of another question.

"I do not know my child." Makarov said with a sad look on his face. They sat in silence for several seconds until Erza decided to break it with another question, this one pertaining to the pink haired dragon slayer.

"What about Natsu?" Her face held a large amount of curiosity, wondering what could have happened to him to get him in such a state in the time from when she saw him after the battle and the time when she arrived at the place where Gray sent up a flare. Gray too became quite interested in what the master had to say. Makarov sighed again.

"It would seem as though Lucy is one of Natsu's mates and seeing her in the state that she was in caused him to break down too." The Master was staring up at the sky, he had noticed recently that he had begun to feel his age and realized he was slowing down. He sighed again before turning back to Erza and Gray, answers at the ready.

"Mate?" A curious titania questioned. Makarov chuckled.

"Dragon slayers much like dragons have one mate in existence that they are bound to meet and fall in love with" Keeping it short and simple Makarov readied himself for the next one.

"One of?" The master of Fairy Tail nodded.

"According to Wendy, since Natsu is Dragon Royalty he has more than one mate. The lucky bastard." Makarov informed the two before muttering his opinion in the matter. Gray heard and absent mindedly nodded in agreement. Lucky enough for the two of them Erza had not heard the guild master's mutterings.

"I see." Erza nodded, promptly deep in thought. She looked up. "Thank you Master it is good to know that they will recover." Erza still deep in thought, acknowledged the master before walking towards the temporary living quarters the guild had set up. Master Makarov watched in sympathy as the young mage walked away.

"Master." A voice from behind him snapped him out of his reverie. He turned to see Gray looking at him. "Do you know when they are going to get better?"

"I'm sorry my boy I do not." Makarov said sullenly. "However, we can get stronger and keep going for them, because we are Fairy Tail!" He ended his exclamation with an extended arm tipped with an index finger and thumb as if signifying a victory. Gray smirked and raised his own arm.

"Yes we are!"

 **Aaannnddd that's a wrap folks. Favorite Follow and Review. The more support I get the quicker I will get the next chapter done also if anyone would like to beta read for me send me a pm or leave it in a review and I will talk to you about what I need from yah. Be sure to check out my other story** _ **The Fairy Kong**_ **on my profile.**

 **~Cacto**


	2. The Light Returns

**Yo wassup it's everybody's favorite cactus back with the second chapter of** _ **The Celestial Dragon**_ **. This chapter is more of a plot progression chapter and also helps define personalities the characters will have. Again sorry If there are mistakes this isn't beta read or content checked. Enjoy!**

Several months had passed and while Natsu and Lucy had not recovered, it seemed as though they were healing. Natsu had an ember, a far cry from the raging fire he once held, but it was progress. Lucy was also doing better, her eyes had gained some life to them, never more so than when she could be found gazing at Natsu. But the biggest improvement was their voices, they were talking again, not a lot however, but any was enough. Everyone found themselves thinking of the young dragon slayer and his mate on this particularly sunny morning.

The doors opened, everyone looked, everyone smiled. There they were, hand in hand, Natsu and Lucy.

Yup, holding hands. There had been improvements in more than just their condition; their relationship was blossoming too.

After their return to Magnolia Lucy had started living with Natsu. Happy had been taken in by the Strauss family. Erza never raised a finger in an effort of refusal to their new living arrangements. They needed each other, and they had each other, everywhere, all the time.

There was romance too. Every day on their way to the guild Natsu would bend down, never once releasing her hand, pick a flower, face as stoic as ever, and would hand it to Lucy. She never smiled, but as Natsu continued to walk, she would turn and look at him, a pace behind, as she held the flower to her heart, tight in hand.

Erza's smile was pained. She was extremely happy they were recovering, but still, she missed them. Not to say the two in front of her weren't her friends, no quite the opposite in fact. They were two of her closest friends and yet here they were, a shadow of their former selves, and what was she able to do? Nothing. Absolutely fucking nothing. That hurt her more than any amount of injuries, any amount of pain. She looked again and smiled, a real smile this time. Seeing the two holding hands always lifted her spirits.

Suddenly from Lucy's belt there was a bright flash of light. Seconds later one of Lucy's most trusted spirits appeared.

"Lucy-sama!" It was Aries and she was in tears. She flung herself at Lucy and dragged her down to the floor, Natsu just stood there, too shocked to do anything. Lucy's eyes widened.

"A-Aries?" Lucy began to cry, her own tears mixing with Aries. It was enough to snap Natsu out of his state of shock. Instantly he was on his knees beside them, an arm around each of their backs, holding them, comforting them, there for them. They continued like this for quite some time, the guild watching in silence. Their cries turned to whimpers, their whimpers to deep breaths. Finally, Lucy broke the silence.

"I'm sorry, I'm so so so sorry!" She looked to be on the verge of tears again. Natsu pulled her in tighter.

"For what?" The milky skinned celestial spirit instantly halted Lucy's tears.

"For... What?" Lucy was stunned to silence for a second only to find herself on the verge of tears once more.

"For breakin-"

"Stop right there!" Lucy, Natsu, the entire guild, was taken aback. Who was she and what had she done with the shy Aries Lucy had met and grown to love? Upon seeing all eyes on her Aries dipped her head and became quite flustered; ah there she is.

"I-it wasn't you-your fault" The female pinkette managed to stutter out.

"But if I was stronger-" Lucy again tried to throw blame on herself only to be thwarted.

"I said stop!" Aries herself looked about to cry. Lucy couldn't bring herself to be the cause of pain for another of her spirits, so she consented.

"O-okay." Silence filled the guild once again.

"Why are you here?" This time the silence was broken by Erza. Aries glance up at the red-headed mage before turning her head back to look at the hands she had clasped in her lap.

"I just found out."

"..."

"About what happened to Aquarius." Lucy's eyes grew wide again.

"Just now? But, but how? It happened months ago!" Lucy was confused.

"She never told us." Lucy's face dropped.

"Does she, does she really hate me then?" Lucy found herself recalling some of Aquarius's last words to her.

"Luce..." It was almost a whisper.

"Luce..." She turned to see what Natsu wanted, after all he was the only one to call her Luce. Natsu was crying.

"Natsu what's wro-" She tried to ask him if he was alright.

"LUCY!" He tackled Lucy sending them both onto the floor.

"You're back, you're finally back! You came back to me!" What happened next surprised the entire guild. Though he was crying a grin split his face, from ear to ear. He was back! Natsu and Lucy were back! The entire guild burst into tearful smiles, happy their family was once again whole. Erza leaned against a support beam, her a small sobbing laugh escaped her lips. They were back, they were finally back.

"Luce, please, please don't ever leave me again." A quiet plea came from the dragon slayer loud enough for only the blonde and her spirit to hear. Lucy looked down at the dragon slayer who's head was buried in her stomach. She ran a hand through his hair as she smiled down at him softly.

"I won't Natsu, I promise."

Makarov, who had been watching from the second floor, muttered to himself before announcing a call for celebration.

"And so, the light of Fairy Tail has returned, along with his shining star." Makarov simply smiled before jumping down to fill his flagon with beer.

The guild partied for the rest of the day into night, but the three on the floor stayed there embracing each other. Eventually they left Natsu's hands covering one from each of the women as they made their way to the mages home.

It was decided that Natsu would keep both women warm throughout the night, as they both needed comfort, and the conversation that had been started earlier in the guild would be continued the next morning.

Natsu stared up at the ceiling, a smile on his face and arms wrapped around the beauties beside him. His mate was back and- he looked to his left- he possibly found another, he was happy, he was content.

 _Linebreak_

The next morning Natsu awoke feeling alive, something he had not felt in several months. He looked to his left, there lay Aries, curled around his arm, head on his chest. He looked to his right, and there lay Lucy with his right arm curled around her. Their shallow breaths were relaxing for him, he soon found himself drifting back to sleep.

Aries was the second to wake, she blushed upon realizing her position. When she tried to pull away a low growl came from Natsu's throat. She squeaked.

Lucy woken up by Aries's noise of surprise, leaned over to give Natsu a chaste kiss before standing up and quietly motioning for Aries to follow.

Several minutes later the two found themselves in the kitchen of Natsu's small abode. They were making breakfast with the limited food and supplies Natsu had. Surprisingly Aries was an excellent cook, and this helped the two finish quicker, just in time for Natsu's entrance into the land of the living.

"Aaaaaaaaaaa" Natsu let out a sleepy roar as he entered the kitchen, stretching as he did so.

 _'Cute'_ Lucy and Aries thought unanimously, before blushing at the realization that Natsu was shirtless. This caused a slightly different reaction.

 _'Hot'_ The two women glanced at each other before looking away.

"Umm Natsu?" Lucy finally managed to look back at him to question him on his lack of clothing.

"Wassup Luce?" She blushed under that ear-splitting grin of his.

"Ummm, w-why don't you have a shirt on?" Natsu cocked his head in confusion.

"No particular reason. Do you want me to go put one on?" Natsu was surprised at the viciousness of the two women's head shaking.

"Well, okay then…" A confused Natsu sat down at the table.

"He-here is your breakfast Natsu-sama." Aries stuttered as set a sizable plate of pancakes down in front of the dragon slayer. Upon Natsu beginning to dig in, both leaned in, anxious of what he thought of their cooking.

They didn't have to wait long however as the pinkette's voracious appetite consumed every last crumb. He turned towards the two chefs causing them to lean even further in, the suspense growing.

"That was great!" A grin split his face. The two women smiled in relief and happiness. With that out of the way the women served themselves and began to eat their own.

Something was off.

It was quiet. Why was it quiet?

They looked over at Natsu. Letting out a surprised gasp they both began to worry, upon seeing Natsu's downcast expression.

"Why didn't you tell me..." The celestial counterparts became quite worried, wondering what they didn't tell him. He looked up with a guilty look in his eyes.

"Why didn't you tell me you hadn't eaten yet!" Natsu's outburst shocked the two to silence. Upon their lack of response, he looked down again, believing he had screwed up and feeling even guiltier for yelling at the pair.

"Sorry." It was barely a whisper from behind the scarf that Natsu had buried his face in. Lucy finally regained her composure and realized that he wanted to be a gentleman, _'Wait no!'_ An epiphany hit Lucy as her eyes opened wide in understanding; Natsu WAS a gentleman! Her heart fluttered. He was so sweet! She held back a squeal.

"Natsu." Lucy looked directly at Natsu. He finally looked up, his chin still buried deep in his scarf. He still thought she was going to be mad at him, as such he had every right to be nervous.

"It's okay."

"Hnnggg?" The sound of surprise from Natsu was too much for Lucy; she burst into laughter as Aries could be seen stifling her giggles with the palm of her hand. At first this only further confused Natsu. However, it soon began to frustrate him, and that frustration caused him to become upset.

"What!" Lucy stopped laughing and looked over to Natsu, he wasn't happy. Aries jumped in to placate the miffed dragon slayer.

"I'm sorry Natsu-sama we didn't mean to laugh at you, but the noise you made was really funny. Sorry."

Lucy sighed, she had thought Aries had managed to break out of her habit of over apologizing but it would seem as though she hadn't. Putting this thought aside Lucy once again addressed Natsu.

"What I meant before was it's fine that you ate without us -ah, ah, ah, let me finish-" Lucy quickly put an end to Natsu's protests, "We let you eat first without telling you we hadn't eaten yet, so it's not your fault. But I do think it's sweet how you wanted to be a gentleman." Lucy winked at Natsu before digging into the last of her pancakes to hide her blush.

"Hey Aries?" Both women looked up at Natsu, wondering what he wanted.

"After breakfast, you'll explain everything, right?" Aries nodded.

"Good, I'm all fired up now!" Natsu loosed his signature catchphrase and breath of fire, but in the process knocked over his chair. Both girls giggled at the flustered Natsu as he righted the chair and sat back down before going back to their breakfast. Natsu smiled at the two before leaning back in his chair and closing his eyes to wait for the two to finish.

 **AAANNNDDD that's a wrap folks, favorite follow, review. Again, really want opinions. I will eventually rewrite this story but like I said in the opening author's note this isn't beta read and barely content checked. School is out and finals are done so if I keep getting the amazing support I got from the first chapter I'll continue. Also I don't want people to think I'm rushing because I "made everything better already" The broken Natsu and Lucy were never originally a part of the story but it worked really well. However, I need regular Natsu for what I'm planning. Anyways thanks for all your support and be sure to check out my other story:** _ **The Fairy Kong**_

 **~Cacto**


	3. AN

**Yo wassup! it's everybodys' favorite cactus back a year later (almost exactly XD) with an update for** ** _The Celestial Dragon_** **. This chapter is just an Author's note/ poll sorta deal 'cause I think I'm gonna try writing again. Your options are 1. I try and continue the story using the same writing style I was using a year ago. Option numero dos is I rewrite the first two chapters with the new writing style, make them longer, possibly add some content, and then continue from there. No. 3 is that I finish up to the "prologue" with the old writing style and then continue from there with my new one. Note that my new writing style is a lot heavier on the narrative and 1000 words will most likely become 2000. As always favorite, follow, and leave your answer in the reviews. You all have a week before I make a decision!**

 **~Cacto**


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